Sarah Wynn is the co-founder and owner of Wynston’s Ice Cream, which opened in San Marcos’ North City in 2020. (Wynn’s husband, Chris, is the master ice cream maker.) “We want to be the place where people come to celebrate birthdays, the winning game or simply spend some time together to enjoy a little handcrafted happiness.” Learn about Sarah Wynn…
Hometown: Born in Michigan, my parents were missionaries, and I grew up in the northernmost part of Brazil in Boa Vista in the Amazon region until I was 17!
First job: Dairy Queen – full circle, right?
Favorite ways to spend your free time in CA: Oh, there’s a lot! On the beach with friends and family….sitting around in the backyard with a glass of wine…and if I’m alone and get a chance, I love a good book and to wiggle my toes in the sand.
Your biggest accomplishment and why: Over the course of my life, one of my highest priorities is building a life with deep connections. I always wanted our family to value their connection to people, to family, to their community. We’ve lived in four countries and five states but the fabric that kept us together was this network that we intentionally built and maintained. It’s so important to me, to us, to not let that take second place to ambition.
The biggest obstacle you overcame: Personally, I struggle with anxiety. I think an amplifier for that, and for many people, was the pandemic. Living in this COVID world was such a struggle for our family. It magnified our fears, but it also sent me on a very personal journey. We started a business in the middle of a pandemic. WOW! That really put my fears and anxiety to the test, but my husband’s faith in me inspired me to stay dedicated to finding our way through. Because of his support and love, I found joy in uncomfortable places, and have since found I am capable of more than I imagined.
Someone who inspires you and why: My mom and dad. They went down to the Amazon jungle as missionaries in their 20’s to try and build a community and make a difference. I was inspired by their vision. My mother invited everyone to our table to have a coffee, or a meal, and I had the chance to experience the simplicity of conversation and connection and how life-changing and powerful that can be. I also remember being on the back of a motorcycle with my father, and his purpose was to go out and find those who needed a connection. Together, they were helpers who weren’t looking for acknowledgment; they simply did it to feel that meaningful love.
Advice to someone pursuing a career path in what you do: Be willing to fail. Take chances. Be flexible.
Favorite quote: “We bloom where we are planted.” The idea is every time we move, we have to evaluate the soil, water it, invest in it, and cultivate it so that we can grow.
Something someone would be surprised to learn about you: OK, my California backyard wine-drinking gals….after a few nights of me sharing my jungle stories, well, they started calling me Machete! Because they would roar with laughter (and possibly a little horror/fear) that I spent some of my childhood wielding an actual machete to get to school or events. I know, right, completely wild!
What makes someone fabulous: Fabulous people face hard stuff with joy and a heart full of optimism.